King Minos Retreat Resort & Spa

Me and my partner had a lovely stay here a few weeks ago now. It’s an absolutely beautiful hotel, and we had an amazing time. Throughout our all inclusive/plus ten night stay we did have our ups and downs. The spa and their team was the biggest highlight, they really made our stay. I had a couple of treatments with an amazing therapist called Dina, she was great, very attentive and carried out an absolutely amazing massage, she ensured I was comfortable and the had the perfect pressures throughout. being a therapist/ masseuse myself I really really enjoyed it and sorted me out. I also want to mention Evangelia (Eva) & Andigoni (Andi) They were so amazing throughout our stay always there to talk about the spa and chat away. Really helpful when it came to deciding treatment choices. They would always catch us for a chat somewhere on the hotels grounds. We always looked forward to seeing them at some point of each day. Our biggest let down is we would not come back for all inclusive we would return for room only or half board, this is since we wouldn’t call it all Inclusive plus. For a five star and the value there are very limited drinks and cocktails actually included in the package and no proper bar food menu included during the day. There is food like pre-made sandwiches and salads with very little pizza slices available which was still good enough or a menu with a selection of food you have to pay for even on “all inclusive”. And if you have a private pool or jacuzzi room some of them are very far from the bar to get your own drinks, we were close to the bar so easy to get our own but some people may struggle with the rooms located far away and room service is €15 each time which we did not do. The all inclusive food buffet was lovely but very repetitive we did end up eating out a couple of times. Lunch is very similar to tea. We had a private pool with a garden view which was another highlight of our stay, it was an amazing room! We did end up spending most of our time in the hotel there, we really enjoyed it and had sun shining on the outside part all day. The sun beds around the pool area are a challenge to get, they start getting reserved very early in the morning. But start freeing up around 4pm. We would spend the day in our room until it gets shaded then head down to the main pool in the afternoon to make the most of the all inclusive and sun. There was construction work going on next door but wasn’t to noticeable and not too loud. For the evenings the entertainment is very minimal but was perfect for us but bring bug repellent!! We got bitten all over mainly from the evenings on the sunbeds lots of bugs attracted by the little lamps by the bar and lots of ants. Not the type of people to get bitten either, was taken by surprise. There is only one bar and ordering system is quite confusing sometimes our orders would get lost or would have to wait 30 mins for a drink and still only get one of two. So the service was very mixed, but everyone was very hard working so it didn’t bother us we just either asked or reordered. There was an amazing employee that we never caught his name but he made our evenings, he had a great personality and perked up the nights. He was in both the Buffett and the pool bar in the evenings, he gave us an amazing restaurant recommendation (wasabi) as we asked for somewhere to go one night since we wanted to eat something different. Overall, we would recommend the hotel just maybe not for an all inclusive unless it changes. Our room and many more highlights really made our stay. Because we were there for my partners birthday we had a lovely birthday cake delivered from the hotel. Most staff were very friendly and the hotels very clean! Thank you King Minos team!

Great rooms, food, atmosphere, setting. All the staff are really friendly and accomodating. Its beautifully kept clean. A great variety of food and drinks. The all inclusive drinks have a great choice with most drinks included and only a few exceptions. The pool isnt too busy with loads of comfortable sun beds which are nicely spaced out, and no early morning rush with the towels. You can turn up at 10 and still get one. Chilled music plays all day in the background with occasional live musicians too. Food is served in the restaurant to a very high standard and great choices evey day, you can sit in the lovely air conditioned restaurant or outside terrace with beautiful sea view and evening sunset. Lovely cuttlery and attentive staff attend to all your needs. The rooms are superbly clean modern and spacious with selective lighting modes and the high point of individual private terrace with seating area, sunbeds and private pool. Ok so here's the down sides. Location is not beach front as I selected on my filters with Jet2 who I booked with. Its a short walk to the beach which is downhill and you have to cross the main road or go through a very low tunnel where you have to crouch down. Its only short but maybe not so easy for elderly or less able. Also there are no bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the hotel, its 10 to 20 minute walk to civilisation, but some may view that as a good thing. My main bug bare with the hotel, which may be a deal breaker for some is in this hotel which accommodates 500 guests, there is only one bar which is at the pool. To add to this there is only one member of staff which makes the drinks and only 2 or 3 waiters. For this reason we found in the daytime time, its hard work getting a drink. You can order drinks from the waiters, but it can take ages for your drinks to come, sometimes you only get one drink when you've ordered 3 and sometimes they dont come at all. This has really been disappointing and spoilt things for us a little. This place is premium in every way and is really not cheap, but this just let's the whole thing down. Funny as I read another review before we came that said he same thing, but disregarded it. I can understand they don't want to encourage excessive drinking but we're not big drinkers, but its nice to have a cocktail or two by the pool. There's so much attention to everything here but to make it a perfect 5 please get some more staff in the bar in the daytime.

We had an amazing stay at King Minos Retreat Resort & Spa, and it exceeded our expectations in every way. From the moment we arrived until the day we left, every member of the staff made us feel genuinely welcome. The atmosphere throughout the hotel is warm, professional and relaxing. Rooms & Facilities The entire hotel feels brand new. The design is modern, elegant and very comfortable, with great attention to detail. Every facility is well maintained, making it a wonderful place to relax and enjoy your holiday. Cleanliness Everything was spotless throughout our stay. The rooms, public areas, restaurants, pools and spa were exceptionally clean and well cared for. Food & Restaurants The buffet offers a fantastic variety of fresh and delicious food every day. The restaurant has a beautiful view, making every meal even more enjoyable. Although the restaurant can be busy during peak hours, it never feels crowded or noisy. The staff are incredibly professional, friendly and attentive. Plates are cleared quickly and efficiently, creating a very pleasant dining experience. We also really enjoyed the food at the Pool Bar—it was fresh, tasty and perfect for lunch by the pool. Spa Experience The spa is beautiful, peaceful, exceptionally clean and highly professional. My husband and I both had massages with Dina, and she was absolutely fantastic. Her technique was excellent, with just the right amount of pressure, leaving us both completely relaxed. It was one of the best massage experiences we’ve had during our travels. Perfect for Families with Children This hotel is also an excellent choice for families. Every member of the staff was incredibly kind and patient with our children, making them feel welcome wherever we went. The Kids Playroom is beautiful, clean and thoughtfully designed. We especially appreciated the safety details, such as the protective corner padding on the walls, as well as the child-sized toilets specially designed for young guests. These little details really show how much the hotel cares about families. Every day there were also plenty of food options suitable for children, which made dining very easy. Reception & Service The reception team deserves special recognition. Everyone was professional, welcoming and genuinely eager to help. Every question or request was handled quickly and efficiently. The teamwork among the staff is impressive—they each know their responsibilities, work seamlessly together and truly seem to enjoy what they do. The positive atmosphere is something you can feel throughout the hotel. Overall, we cannot recommend King Minos Retreat Resort & Spa highly enough. Whether you’re traveling as a couple, with family, or on your own, this hotel offers an exceptional experience with outstanding service, beautiful facilities and genuine hospitality. We would happily return and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Crete.

Stunning hotel and lovely pool area and rooms, immaculately clean. Also music by the pool at the bar and on occasion live music. The problem I felt was the severe lack of customer service. At dinner we were not offered a drinks menu and when we finally managed to order a drink for the three of us it never arrived, same with the guests on table next to us. The staff are clueless when it comes to “serving customers”. This needs to be massively improved. Other than that it was an enjoyable holiday made better by staying at this hotel just hope the management take note and make the appropriate improvements.

Great stay at the King Minos made even better by a massage from Dina! Highly recommend.